The Prevention and Early Intervention Program for Psychoses (PEPP) has an international reputation as an integrated clinical and research centre, which has made major contributions to our understanding of the challenges and benefits of providing early intervention for psychotic disorders. Research from PEPP and other research centres has demonstrated that early, comprehensive, state of the art treatment, sustained over a five year period, can result in better long-term reduction of acute symptoms.
PEPP’s current research aims to better understand the factors that contribute to the broader social and occupational recovery of our clients from psychotic disorders so that they are able to re-establish their lives. Our research focuses on the role of social, neurobiological, environmental, and psychological factors that are integral to facilitating or hindering full recovery. We are particularly interested in identifying modifiable predictors of recovery that can be addressed in novel treatment approaches and developing tools to identify various pathways of recovery.
It has also become apparent that the stigma associated with serious mental illness hinders young people from seeking and accepting treatment, and interferes with their full recovery. PEPP has recently embarked on a program of research designed to develop more effective methods to reduce the stigma of serious mental illness, such as psychosis, including using interventions that bring to light and draw attention to the experiences of our clients.
For more information, please visit the research page of Dr. Lena Palaniyappan BA (Psych) MBBS, PhD
